216 
SURVEY OF THE INTERTROPICAL 
1^- Stood at 88°, and the barometer at 29.81 inches : 
Feb. 19. half an hour before sunset the clouds, which had 
collected in the eastern horizon, began to thicken 
and approach us with loud thunder and vivid 
lightning : all the sails, except the topsails which 
were lowered, were furled just in time to avoid 
any bad effects from the squall, which com- 
menced with a strong gust from E.S.E. and 
East; it lasted about an hour, during the latter 
part of which we had very heavy rain. At eight 
o’clock the wind fell to a calm, and was after- 
wards baffling and light from north to east and 
south-east. 
20. At daylight (20th) the morning was dull and 
cloudy : a bank of heavy threatening clouds, 
rising from the eastward, induced my steer- 
ing to the westward to await the issue of this 
weather, so unfavourable for our doing any good 
upon the coast, as well as increasing the danger 
of navigating among reefs and islands, where 
the tides were so strong. The next morning 
at daylight we had a squall with rain and wind 
from the eastward, after which a fresh breeze 
set in from the same quarter: as this weather 
appeared likely to last, I very unwillingly deter- 
mined upon leaving the coast, and returning im- 
mediately to Port Jackson. 
21—24. . From the 21st until the 24th we had moderate 
